Just Another Week in Bangu

Here's a quick update.

The zone is changing alot. Opening up for sets of missionaries in the ward and the leadership has greatly improved. A new couple will come to Bangu in the next couple of weeks. Realengo is looking for a new house right now.

We are doing some awesome work with our ward mission leader Jairo. He has two more months until he leaves for his mission, so he is on fire to organize some activities and help the ward become more involved. We are calling a strong group of new ward missionaries and we will start training them to help find new investigators.

On Saturday we were eating lunch with Irmã Alice. She served a mission in Brasilia some years back and she introduced us to her 9 year old niece. We taught her the restoration and she is so smart! Understood the lesson better than most adults I've taught. She wants to be baptized and has a date for the 13th!

Well thats it for now. Abraço!

 

Élder Hamilton

Missionário de A Igreja De Jesus Cristo Dos Santos Dos Últimos Dias

Ala Bangú - Missão Brasil Rio De Janeiro

 

 

 

Mais Bangúnça

Buona sera, como estai? (I'm learning some Italian)

Yesterday was quite the day. We had a special stake conference with Elder Jairo Mazzagardi of the Area Presidency of Brasil. It was funny, the missionaries from Andaraí (the stake where Elder Holand stayed) were sent to attend the conference in the other stakes. I found that fair, since the mission wasn't invited to see Elder Holand, no one should. Anyways, after the conference, assistants (from andaraí, hehe) called all the missionaries to the back of the chapel to talk about transfers. Just as I walked up, Elder Maciel started talking to me with such excitment "You guys excited? Hamilton and Fonseca? Another one together? You guys are staying in Bangu." So... here we go! 4th transfer together and my 5th in Bangu. Today, I will start unpacking the suitcases that I prepared in advance.

The conference: Elder Mazzagardi was awesome! He's from São Paulo but has a strong southern accent which is quite interesting. Great sense of humor and a dynamic speaker. He talked a lot about the progress of the temple and about the sacrifices we need to make to receive a temple here. The importance of attending the temple now, the need to rescue the people who have gone astray, and the need to stengthen the families here. Things aren't easy here in Rio. But things are changing. The Lord is truly calling His people to build the kingdom with urgency.

And that's why I'm still in Bangu. I already love the people, the members, the church here. And now it is my time to help build up the kingdom, according to the instruction of modern seers and revelators. There is no doubt in my mind that this the God's gospel, His church.

Até mais,

 

Élder Hamilton

Missionário de A Igreja De Jesus Cristo Dos Santos Dos Últimos Dias

Ala Bangú - Missão Brasil Rio De Janeiro

Alô Realengo!

Hi!

I found Elder Bitnoff!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Guess what? Bangu ward will recieve another set of Elderes this coming week! Let's see if the mission president keeps me around to see how that turns out or if he sends me off to a new adventure.

This week was quite a nail biter with Vitor. On Tuesday, we taught him with our super new ward mission leader Jairo. We talked about his reading of the book of mormon and discussed key teachings needed to prepare him for the baptism. He had been reading everyday during the previous week: up to 2 Nephi in the Book of Mormon, some of the new testament, and 2 chapters of the gospel principles book everyday. He had received a strong answer that the book of mormon is true, that the restoration happened, and that he must be baptized in the true church of Jesus Christ. But he was full of a lot of doubts about being baptized on saturday. The three of us shared our testimonies on the importance and blessings of baptism and invited him to pray in respect to the date. When he arrived at the baptismal interview, he said that he was sure without a doubt that he was to be baptized this saturday! But then all of the sudden, the military got in the way. His captain called him to do a service on saturday. He called us asking if he could be baptized on sunday. "Well, of course!", we said, so he was baptized yesterday. There were a ton of people there and it was one of the most spiritual baptisms I've ever been a part of. Vitor is such an amazing man (yeah he looks like hes 15 but he's actually 20) and will be a powerful priesthood leader.

I always want more time to write these emails. After the mission, you can ask me about all of my incredible experiences. I know the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is God's church restored here on the earth. The Gospel is perfect and through His priesthood authority, we are baptized in His name, and receive the promise of eternal life!

Com amor e firmeza,

 

Élder Hamilton

Missionário de A Igreja De Jesus Cristo Dos Santos Dos Últimos Dias

Ala Bangú - Missão Brasil Rio De Janeiro

 

 

 

Gol!!

Oi galeira!

Things are going well here. At the end of this month, we have stake conference, and on the saturday, there will be a combined meeting in Andaraí with two other stakes... WITH ELDER HOLLAND!! There is no news yet if there will be a mission conference with Elder Holland, so pray that my mission president will let us go to that meeting!

This transfer has been quite an interesting one so far. We've been meeting so many new people and refreshing our teaching circle to focus on those who are truly ready to be baptized. We´ve been working a lot these last couple weeks with Vitor. He's 20 years old and serves in the military. He started coming to church with his stepmother. Between his crazy work schedule and our struggles to travel to visit him (he lives literaly on the border furthest away from our area of concentration) we have challenged him to read the Book of Mormon and prepare for baptism. He has accepted a baptismal date for this coming Saturday!!

This week we had interviews and a training session with President Cabral. He is simply awesome!! Full of energy and is working us like crazy. He made a cool analysis that has really got me going now. Here's the translated paraphrasing: 

"Imagine the Brazilian World Cup Team. It is always a great dynamic selection of players who everyone in focused on. The fans look at players like Neymar, and have the expectation to see a show, to see him do nothing but score goals."

"Right now everyone has their eyes on Rio and this mission. In the midst of so much excitement here; world cup soccer, beaches, olympics, everything, everyone is looking to us and expecting to see a show, see batisms, families rescued, a temple constructed, goals!"

I'm am so glad to be a part of mission Brasil Rio de Janiero, and know that I'm here to do everything in my power and in accordance with the will of the Lord to make this wicked land a place worthy of the kingdom of God.

Eu amo vocês,

Élder Hamilton

Missionário de A Igreja De Jesus Cristo Dos Santos Dos Últimos Dias

Ala Bangú - Missão Brasil Rio De Janeiro

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Conserve Tua Rota

 

Things sure are changing here. So much is happening that my mind is absolutely blank on what I should write. So I'll share two announcements and a cool story.

1 - I forgot if I said anything yet about this, but we started teaching a free english class here in the church. Its started out slow with our "alunos" (yeah I cant remember this word in english) but it is starting to bring success now.

 

2 - This week, President Cabral has made a mission-wide challenge to for us to bring 20 investigators to sacrament meeting to each and every ward in the mission. Pray for us, I really want to see this miracle happen.

Story: I spent a trip to the mission office last p-day and the money that I had saved up to get this CTR ring. I lost the one I brought with me on the mission and this was a major upgrade. Pretty sick CTR ring huh?

 

Yesterday, a man came to church who we hadn't seen before. His name is Rodrigo and it had been about 3 years since he had attended church. He told us about the tragic death of his mother a few days back and how she had given him a CTR ring that served as a reminder and helped him years back stay strong and faithful.   But some years back he lost his ring. With tears in his eyes, he asked if there was any way that we could help him get a new ring, that it would be everything for him to have that remembrance again of his mother and his testimony. We told him that we would talk to bishop and see if there was anything we could do. Then the prompting came that I should give my awesome new ring to him.   Despite this feeling, we proceeded to inquire and search the church and the members for a spare ring.  We quickly realized there weren't any out there. I still fought hard against the spiritual prompting to give away my ring. But after a sacrament meeting filled with much prayer and contemplation, I realized what I had to do. After the meeting, I took my ring off, found the man and told him that we had found a ring for him. He looked at me and my companion with tears in his eyes. Words don't describe the joy in his eyes and in my heart in knowing that I did what the Lord needed from me to help this man. He has invited us to come to his house to visit and teach his nonmember wife and two sons.

Sacrifices are not easy. At times they are against our human nature. But when we make an offering to the Lord in obedience, money can't buy the happiness and rewards that lie  ahead.  I realize more than ever that I am just a man. Weak and poor, but with the power of God, can help miracles happen for those I love.

Eu amo vocês!

Élder Hamilton

Missionário de A Igreja De Jesus Cristo Dos Santos Dos Últimos Dias

Ala Bangú - Missão Brasil Rio De Janeiro

 

No Changes in Bangu

Transfers are today.  I took pictures with everyone in the ward yesterday, expecting that I would be transferred. It just so happens that both me and my companion are staying, going on our third transfer together. our district mates Elder Leite and Hobbs also stayed here in Realengo.  Not much happened mission wide.  I will pray for patience and understanding of purpose.  I'm actually excited about many of the things ahead here and am happy to be staying.

 

 

Here are the pictures I promised:

1 - World Cup (An embarrassment for Brazil... only consulation us that Argentina didn't win)

2 - The ripped suit pants

3 - Elder Call - found him

4 - Meus Texanos

5 - Me and Bishop Malguven

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Élder Hamilton

Missionário de A Igreja De Jesus Cristo Dos Santos Dos Últimos Dias

Ala Bangú - Missão Brasil Rio De Janeiro

 

 

 

 

Começar Com o Resultado Final em Mente

There are about a million things that happened this week, so I'll share a bunch of short stories. Let's see how that goes.

 

I almost killed a cat yesterday.

Everyone stops me in the street now to let me know that the United States is out of the cup. Tell me something I didn't know.

Everyone is very excited for Brasil now. Despite the ridiculous Neymar injury and Thiago Silva out of the next game, the people have faith that we can beat Germany.

We met our new mission president this week.

Just before the mission conference started, I was helping remove some heavy wrestling mats in the church gym, and out of nowhere, my pants ripped and created a HUGE hole in the behind. I had to keep my suit on and walk like an awkward penguin for the rest of the meeting. (I'll send pics next week)

I've made some new diet goals.

President Cabral is awesome!! He is from Fortaleza Brazil and is a professor in Portuguese. Very smart and an incredible speaker. He can't be any taller than 5'2 but is a very inspirated man of God. I can go on forever talking about him, I am very excited to work with him!

We are teaching an awesome new investigator! He has the same name as my mom. Michel is the friend of Jairo, a soon to be missionary from our ward, and he is looking for a change in his life and is feeling that in the Church of Jesus Christ is the right place. He accepted a baptismal date for July 19th, and we are excited to work with him.

President Cabral has created the following new slogan for the mission: "Começar Com o Resultado Final em Mente" or "Start with the end result in mind". There are some changes being made so that we we don't just baptize and leave new members on their own, but stay involved step by step until families make it to the temple. My vision for the work has grown so much this week. I'm so grateful for the privilege to serve as a missionary during this amazing time.  It will be rewarding to be more involved with the people I have grown to love so much.

I'll send pictures next week. Love ya'll!

Até a próxima,

 

Élder Hamilton

Missionário de A Igreja De Jesus Cristo Dos Santos Dos Últimos Dias

Ala Bangú - Missão Brasil Rio De Janeiro